St Peters Statue at the Vatican

Statue of St. Peter by Giuseppe De Fabris, 1840. The statue of St. Peter is iconographically faithful to the noteworthy pictures and sculptures of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; however, it especially expresses inspiration and sentiment, thereby showing the artist's reaction to the academic rigor of the era. In his right hand the apostle is holding the keys, symbol of the power promised to him by Christ in Caesarea of Philippi; in his left hand is the scroll bearing the words ET TIBI DABO CLAVES REGNI CAELORUM' (Mt. 16, 19). One key is silver-plated, while the other is gold plated.